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September 22, 2004
For Immediate Release
| Contact: |
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Sr. Christine Schenk
FutureChurch
216-228-0869 (w)
216-513-3647 (cell)
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Ms. Linda Pieczynski
Call To Action
630-655-8783, (w)
630-323-6924 (h)
630-399-6924 (cell) |
Massive 53 Diocese Study Reveals Most Priests
Want Optional Celibacy Discussed
Surveys Conducted by Laity Show 67% Affirmative Response
For the past six months Catholic lay leaders from Call To Action and FutureChurch
conducted anonymous surveys of priests from Boston to Los Angeles, a total
of 53 dioceses altogether. Priests were asked the question: “Do you favor
an open discussion of the mandatory celibacy rule for diocesan priests?” Overwhelmingly,
they said yes. Sixty seven percent of responding priests (2,589 of 3,846) supported
open discussion. The survey response rate was 27 %.
Priests aged 41-70 most strongly favored open discussion with 74% saying yes.
Priests over 71, retired, and religious order priests also favored discussion
by substantial majorities of 61%, 66% and 70% respectively.
Younger priests age 25-40 were more evenly divided with 42% favoring discussion
and 54% who do not.
(For results by diocese see attached
pdf and visit www.futurechurch.org and
click on survey results).
“Perhaps most interesting were the 547 comments written by priests,” said
Call To Action spokesperson Linda Pieczynski. “Many were discouraged
at the apparent inability of Church leaders to make necessary changes so Catholics
could continue to have access to the Mass and sacraments. Some thought the
Church should reconsider women’s roles, including priestly ordination.” (see
sample priest comments below as well as attached
pdf.. and/or visit www.futurechurch.org and click on survey results).
“I know several priests who resigned to get married. They are brilliant,
wonderful and holy men. They would return tomorrow if allowed.” (Denver
priest)
We have to get realistic about the priest shortage so that Catholics will
not be without Eucharist. We also cannot rely on foreign born priests who do
not know our culture and frequently do not hold women in high esteem in the
Church. (Fresno priest)
“We can discuss this all we want, but unless the bishops find courage
to confront the Vatican on this policy, nothing will happen. And this is most
unlikely.”(Cleveland priest)
I know of several priests who are struggling with celibacy and it is starting
to weigh on them and affect their ministry. It is scary to think that we might
lose them because they are good priests and love what they do.” (Philadelphia
priest)
The Catholic Church’s decline of active priests is stark,” said
FutureChurch Director, Sr. Christine Schenk. “One out of five parishes
in Boston is closing, Toledo is planning to close or cluster 33 parishes and
Cleveland projects only 76 priests to serve 235 parishes in 2027. Between 1975
and 2003 the United States suffered a 22% decline of priests from 58, 909 to
only 45,699 in 2003. At the same time the number of Catholics has increased
by 32% from 48.7 million in 1975 to 64.3 million in 2003. The number of U.S.
seminarians has decreased by 38% to only 3,285 in 2003. Worldwide, according
to Vatican statistics, the number of priests is essentially unchanged since
1975 when we had 404,783 priests compared to 405,058 in 2002. In the meantime
Catholics increased worldwide by 52% to 1.08 billion in 2002.”
The survey is the brainchild of Jim and Sally Orgren, leaders of Call To Action
in Buffalo, who mailed an anonymous survey to diocesan priests after hearing
about the 163 Milwaukee priests calling for discussion of optional celibacy
in August 2003. The idea caught on and in short order priests were being anonymously
surveyed everywhere. Jim Orgren believes: “Many priests in the present
climate do not feel free to publicly support open discussion of optional celibacy.
The anonymity allows priests to say what they really think about this issue,
without fear of recrimination. But issues will not simply disappear because
discussion is forbidden...What would happen if all Catholics, lay, clergy,
and hierarchy could come together in open forums? Heaven only knows!”
“I am not the only parent who has encouraged her own sons to enter the
priesthood, only to hear them say they felt called to family life,” said
Sharon Beshoar who organized surveys in the Denver and Pueblo dioceses. Our
Church tells us priests cannot be married. I have to keep asking, Why not?
Where is our faith? The Holy Spirit is prompting wise and serious questioning
of the church’s position.”
Since 1996 FutureChurch and Call To Action have been working to educate about
the danger of losing the Mass and sacraments as one consequence of doing nothing
about the priest shortage. Schenk has given educational programs about the
priest shortage in over 100 U.S. dioceses.
The surveys are an important part of the Corpus
Christi Campaign which was
launched last October by FutureChurch and Call To Action after 163 Milwaukee
priests asked for open discussion of optional celibacy.
Among other things, the campaign invites Catholics to request their bishops
to release diocesan projections of availability of priests in the future. (For
recent Official Catholic Directory statistics for every U.S. diocese, click
on Priest Shortage USA 1976-2004).
As part of the campaign, Catholics across the U.S. and worldwide are circulating
a petition to the October 2005 International Synod on the Eucharist asking
for discussion of optional celibacy and ordaining women to the diaconate. They
are also sponsoring prayer, discussion and education groups in their parishes
and small faith communities.
“The overwhelmingly positive response from priests is extraordinary
and a very hopeful sign. Numerous surveys of laity in the last fifteen years
have shown even higher percentages who support letting priests marry,” said
Schenk citing the book American Catholics: Gender Generation and Commitment
by William V. D’Antonio et al. The book reported on three surveys of
the laity conducted in 1987, 1993 and 1999 which revealed lay support for married
priests of 63%, 72% and 71% respectively. She also disputed a statement made
in November 2003 by U.S. Bishops’ Conference President Bishop Wilton
Gregory, just before the group delivered 8,000 letters requesting open discussion.
Gregory said that making celibacy optional wouldn’t help the priest shortage
because the Protestant Church also has a shortage even though their clergy
are permitted to marry. Schenk referred to a recent Purdue University study
published last December in the Catholic Jesuit weekly America, which found
that the Catholic Church is the only denomination in the U.S. that has a clergy
shortage.” (http://www.americamagazine.org/index.cfm?issued=462)
Pieczynski added, “I am encouraged that so many priests including the
National Federation of Priests’ Councils, as well as priests in Milwaukee,
Chicago, New Ulm,Mn., Albany, Sacramento , Pittsburgh, Southern Illinois and
New York City, are publicly asking to open the conversation. We join our voices
with Bishops and Cardinals worldwide who are calling for discussion including
Cardinal George, Cardinal Mahony, Scotland’s Cardinal Keith O’Brien,
the Indonesian Bishops Conference, the Brazilian Bishops Conference and the
Canadian Bishops Conference. Our Catholic sacramental identity hangs in the
balance."
Call To Action and FutureChurch through surveying Catholic priests, grassroots
prayer and education programs and circulating petitions to the International
Synod on the Eucharist, seek to promote dialogue from the grassroots to the
Vatican about the need for removing mandatory celibacy as a requirement for
the priesthood.
Call To Action is a national organization of 25,000 laity, religious and clergy
with its national office in Chicago and 41 local chapters. It advocates for
reforms in the Catholic Church such as equality for women and homosexuals in
the Church, optional celibacy for priests, more focus on the church's social
teaching, and consultation with the Catholic people on church decision making.
FutureChurch is a coalition of parish based Catholics who seek the full participation
of all Catholics in the life of the Church. FutureChurch strives to educate
fellow Catholics about the seriousness of the priest shortage, the centrality
of the Eucharist (the Mass), and the systemic inequality of women in the Catholic
Church. It seeks to participate in formulating and expressing the Sensus Fidelium
(the Spirit inspired beliefs of the faithful) through open, prayerful and enlightened
dialogue with other Catholics locally and globally.
For Official Catholic Directory statistics for every U.S. diocese, visit www.futurechurch.org and
click on Priest Shortage USA 1976-2004.
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